Heel and arch support



H. H. AHERN HEEL AND ARCH SUPPORT Feb. 5, 1929.

Filed June 14, 1928 INVENTOR. 7?

Patented Feb. 5, 1929.

UNITED I STATES HARRY n. Airman. or NEWPORT NEWS, vmem'm,

1mm. AND Anon surron'r.

-App1ication'fi1ed June 14, 1928. Serial No. 285,275.

My invention relates to a new and awful resilient heel and arch support, which 1s adapted to be detachably positioned within a shoe to provide resilientsupport for the heel, arch instep and front of the foot, and which, while giving maximum resiliency and support to various parts of the foot, is light in weight and provdes 'a soft tread." I

My invention further relates to a heel and arch support formed of metals of different.

electro-static properties so that a galvanic current may be produced by the acid ncldent to foot perspiration.

My invention further consists of a foot support composed of upper and lower spaced flexible metal plates having a rear depressed portion for. the reception of the heel, an up-' wardly curved portion adapted to contact with and support the arch of the foot, a forwardly and downwardly inclined front portion for supporting the instep portion of the foot, a laterally'extended front portion for supporting the toe, and-aplurality of-bottom springsspaced in angular relation to each other to provide added resiliency and support to the arch, instep and: front portions at various points. 1 I I For the purpose of illustratingmy invention, I have shown in the accompanying drawings, a form thereof which is at present preferred by me, since it will give in practice, satisfactory and reliableresults, although it is tobe understood that the various instrumentalities of--which my invention consists,

can be variously-j arranged and organized and that my invention of these instrumentalities is as herein shown and described.

In the accompanying I drawings. Figure 1 represents a bottom perspective view of a novel heel and arch support, em

' Figure 2 represents, on an enlarged scale an inverted longitudinal section on line 22of Figure 1.

Figure 3 represents, a transversesection on' line 3-3 'of Figure 1. I Figures 4L and ,6 represent, bottom perspective views of-modified forms of heel and arch supports. V I I -Figures 5 and 7 represent side elevations of Figures 4; and 6 respectively. I I

Referring to thef drawings lIlIWhiCh like I reference characters indicate likefparts, 1 designates my novel heel and arch support comprising an upper flexible metal plate 2 and a lower flexible metal plate 3. The lower flexible metal plate 3 is secured to the upper flexible plate 2 by the continuous peripheral lip or flange 4 bentdownwardly and inwardly toenclose and engage or clinch upon the edge of the lower plate 3, it being understood that said 1 plates may be secured to each other in any otlier desirable manner. A longitudi-- nally extending spring 5 is secured to the bottom plate 3 by means of the rivets 6 or the like, said spring being bulged outwardly as at 7, see Figure 2, and then upwardly as'at 8, and

I terminating in the downwardly bent free end portion 9. The plates 2 and 3 are spaced apart as at 12 throughout the greater portion of their lengthto provide resiliency and softness of tread. The plates 2Land 3 are further provided with the alignin rear de ressions ll for the reception of t e heel 'o the foot which as is well known from human anatomy protrudes lower than the arch and instepof the foot; The metalplates 2 and 3 are also provided with the convexed portions 17 forming a rest or support for the arch of the foot, said convexed portions terminatingin the somewhat flattened portions 15 which are slightly bent downwardly attheir front extremity as at 16, (see left hand portion of'Fi urei2) toprevent the foot or the stockings rom catching with the front end of the arch support when the foo't is withdrawn,

spacebetween the upper and lower plates 2 and 3 isat its maximum at about the central portion of said plates, that is, at the. point [that is, when the shoes-are removed. The I aligning with the arch of the foot, and gradually tapers or decreases asthe heel and ini I step 'portions are approached, where little or no resiliency or support'is'needed. Similarly, the spring 5 is of greatest curvature and tension at about the point 7 correspondin to and aligning with the arch of the foot, t us giving maximum resilient support tosaid arch, as will be apparent from Figure 2. I

By providing the space 12 betweenthe I plates 2 and 3,1 provide a resiliency and soft ness of tread which wouldnot be available if a single plate of sheet metal were employed.

. This resiliency is further enhanced by the provision'of the spring5 which is so posi tioned as to enhance the resiliency of the. convexed portion 17 which supports the arch of the foot. Thus as the'vweight of thebody is transferred from the heel ofthe foot to the instep,,and,asthe heel is raised with respect spondingly and proportionally compressed,

thus providing a slightly sliding or shifting support, corresponding with the shifting of the weight of the body, and thus keeping the arch of the foot constantly supported and reinforced.

By providing the depression 14: I not only provide a seat for the heel of the foot, but I am also enabled to use my novel arch and heel support without the aid of any auxiliary fastening devices, that is, I provide a device that will retain its proper position and which will not slide or shift within the shoe.

In order to provide support, protection and relief to other parts of the foot, which due to constant rubbing may become hard-- ened, callous and painful, I prolong the front portion 15 forwardly and laterally and shape the outer contour 20 thereof as will be understood from Figure 1, so as to support the aliiicted part of the foot, said front portion 15 being provided with the bottom transverse supporting spring 21, secured by rivets 22 or the like. The transverse spring 21 is of the same general contour as the spring 5,

and serves resiliently to support the front portion of the foot, as is evident.

In Figures 4 and 6, I have shown bottom plan views of modifications of my invention, wherein I provide front lateral extensions 23 and 24:, having their outerv edges 25 and 26 respectively, formed to support other parts of the foot, and provided with the corresponding respective bottom springs 22' and 28, whichcoact therewith in the manner heretofore described, it being understood that the shape or contour of the front portions 15, 23 and 24 as well as their corresponding, coacting bottom springs 21, 27 and 28, is deter"- mined by the location of the affected or sore part of the foot to be relieved and supported and is not limited to the exact shape or form shown. The outer. edges or front ends of the front extensions 23 and 24 are bent clownwardly as at 29 to guard against the catching of the stocking when the foot is withdrawn as will be understood from the left hand portions of Figures 5 and 7. The spring 27 in Figure 4 is transversely arranged while the spring 28 in Figure 6 is obliquely arranged to the spring 5.

, It will thus be apparent that I have devised a novel heel and arch support which provides resilient support to the foot at various points simultaneously and in proper proportion to the amount of support needed, and that in addition to providing the requisite support my novel device is also useful in relieving pain and eliminating or reducing to a minimum the formation of bunions, callous or hardened skin and similar ailments.

It will further be seen that since my novel device is detachable the same can be used continuously on successive pairs of shoes and does not have to be discarded when the shoes wear out as is the case with built-in arch supports heretofore employed. Another advantage resulting from the detachable character of my novel heel and arch support is that it need not be used unless needed, and when only a short walk is contemplated, or when through its use the feet havefsufiiciently recovered, it can be left out to be again used whenever occasion demands.

If desired, I may employ upper and lower plates of metals having different electrostatic properties such as zinc, and copper, thus forming an anode and a cathode or positive and negative poleswhich, when acted upon by the acid incident to perspiration of the feet, will generate a galvanic current which possesses admitted therapeutic advantages.

I My novel heel and arch supportis detachable and may be. made in various standard sizes to fit various sizes of shoes andthe same may be adapted for use in mens, womens and childrens shoes indiscriminately. I

It will further be apparent that I have devised a heel and arch support which ispextremely light compared. to conventional, arch supports heretofore knownand employed, and that my novel heel and arch support tends to cool the feet since the metals from which it is made are good heat conductors which conduct and radiate heat at a much quicker rate than leather and other materials hertofore employed, which as is Well known are heat insulators or poor conductors.

I am aware that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and I therefore desirethepresent em-.

bodiment tobe considered in all. respects as illustrative and not'restrictive, referencegbe ing had to the appended claimsrather than to the fore-going description to-indicate the scope of the invention. r

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Paten is 1. In a heel and arch support, upper and lower spaced apart plates of a contour to fit within a shoe, said plates being secured together at their peripheral edges, a heel depression in said plates mergmginto an upper convex surface for supporting the ,archof the wearer, the maxnnum space between'said plates being at said arch'supporting portions, a longitudinally, extending bulged. spring secured at one end to thebottom of; said plates and having its free end jrustaposed to the front of said heel depressions, the front ofsaid plates being deflected downwardly and laterally, and a front bulged s ring secured to said bottom plate and exten ing at an angle to said first spring.

2. In a device ofv the character stated, an

upper plate, and a lower plate of a contour to fit within a shoe, said plates being secured to eachother at their periphery and spaced from each other at their intermediate portions, there being rear depressions for receiving'the heel and central, aligning, inclined surfaces on said plates adapted to support the arch of the foot, a longitudinally extendng bottom spring having its front end secured to said lower plate near the front of said inclined portions and its rear end freely bearing against the rear of said inclined portions, front aligning, convex surfaces on said plates adapted to support the instep of the foot and having their front edges downwardly and forwardly inclined, and a front bottom spring coacting with said front convexed portions, and having a central bulged portion, adapt-ed go afford a resilient support to the front of the oot.

I 3. In a device of the character stated, an

1 their front edges downWardlyva-nd forwardly inclined, a front bottom spring coacting with said front convexed portions and disposed at an angle to said first mentioned longitudinally extending bottom spring, and aligning rear depressionsinsaid plates for receiving the heel of the foot, the maximum space between said plates being at points juxtaposed to the free end of said longitudinally extending spring.

HARRY H. AHERN.

upper plate and a lower plate of a contour to 

